Refrigerator



Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,290

A. w. DE NEEN REFRIGERATOR Filed March 9.v 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E M f7 ff 2%@ lll/ le/ l lli-:azi:

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A. W. DE NEEN REFRIGERATOR Filed March 9. 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nev. 15`, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,649,290 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. DE NEEN, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORy OF ONE-HALF TO C. LESTER MARTIN, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

nEFmeERA'roR.

Application filed March 9, 1926.

My invention relates to the art of-refrig-V,

eration and more particularly to the means for preventing the entrance of warm air into a refrigerator upon opening the door. It is a known fact that a body will continue in its present state, whether inmotion or at rest, until acted upon by some greater extraneous force; proceeding upon this principle my invention in its generic 'nature provides a means to generate and project a continuous curtain of air rapidly across theV doorway of a refrigerator upon opening the door.

More specifically the invention includes means controlling thegeneration and projection of the air-curtain by the position of the refrigerator door itself; still more specifically the "invention includes the utilization of the chilled air within the refrigerator for the production of the curtain.

In otherwords, the invention comprises a mechanical `device placed within the refrigerator, and, using the coldair of the refrigerator chamber, produces and directs a dense 9" rapidlymoving sheet ortlayer of air against the refrigerator door opening when the door is opened, thus eliminating substantially all loss of cold air. y

In its yet more specific nature the invention furthermore includes those novel details ofV construction, combination and a1"- rangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described, and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying dra-wings, in which Figure 1-is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a refrigerator looking from the inside toward the wall having the door opening, a small size refrigerator using only one shaper unit being shown.

Figure .2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the invention on a larger refrigeratoremploying a plurality (in this instance two) of sha-per units.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail elevation of a portion of the invention. l

Figure 5 is a horizont l section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. l Referring in detail to the accompanying i drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 5,5`is the front wall of a refrigerator. The

serial No. 93,536.

construction of, the refrigerator may be as usual and per se constitutes no part of the present invention. 2 is the to and 3 the bottom of the refrigerator Wiiile 4. indicates the door opening or doorway. The door is represented Vby 5( l Mounted within the refrigerator on the front wall 1 are Shaper units, the number employed depending upon the size ofthe refrigerator or rather the size of the refrigerator door opening. In the first embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure l I have shown but a single Shaper unit while in Figure 3 I have shown a plurality of Shaper units. Each Shaper unit comprises a body 6 having an entrant throat 7, preferably cylindrical, and an outlet end 8, the lat ter being flattened or fan-like to shape ,the cylindricalcolumn of air entering the body 6 into a flat sheet or layer where it leaves the'body.

9 ere .dividere ieeeted Within the body e and shaped to divide the incoming air and cause it to distribute evenly in its How toward the exit end, the Shapers being-r designed to cause a one-third of the air to flow upwardly, another third toflow down# wardly and the remainder to How straight ahead, and in this way assists in maintain` ing an equal density of the air-curtain as it issues from. the exit or outlet end 8. The

outlet end 8 is provided with lips 10 which are hinged at 11, the body 6 having top and bottom extensions 12 and 13 between which the lips are located.

-Adjusting rod bearings 14 are carried byv the lips and lsupport the adjusting rods 15,

the latter .being held .from longitudinal movement bycross pins 16. The rods 15 may turn on-their axes in the bearings 14 to a limited extent with respect to thelips and are connected top and bottom by adjusting screws 17 having right and left threads' whereby on turning the screws in one direction the lips are spread apart or separated,

and uponturnmg' the screws in the opposite f direction the lips are brought closer together at their outer edges in order to thicken or thin the air-curtain issuing from be-l tween the lips. e

18 is `a blower or air fan located within the cylindrical entrance of the Shaper body and the blower 18 is driven, preferably, by an electricl motor 19 that is suitably su ported at 20 and to which thecurrent supp y or circuit wires 2l connect. A. control tending to engage one another to close the circuit, (the switch may be of any approved construction and per se forms no part of the invention). On the door is placed a control Switch point separator 23 which, when'the door is closed, opens the circuit at the switch and revents operation of the motor,I but whiclliD as soon as the door has been moved slightly to open, disengages itself from the control switch points which thereupon come together, closes the circuit and permits operation of the motor.

The Shaper unit or units are so located that their outlet ends parallel onel edge of the door opening and discharge the air-curtain adjacent thereto. On the side o f the door opening opposite the shaper un1ts is placed a defleotor strip 24 against which the air-curtain impinges and by which it is defiected back into the interior of therefrigerator.

All joints of the Shaper', hinges, and the ltop and bottom of the lips will be sealed -s'ivith a flexible sealing compound of rubber that will prevent escape of air and will not hinder the adjustment of the lips. rl`his compound is indicated by 25.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the dividers are shaped and placed on the two Side walls of the shaper device in such manner as to divide the air into thirds (as heretofore stated) sending one-third to the top, another third to the bottom and permitting the remaining third to pass unhindered, thus giving a uniform pressure to the full height of the shaper at the lips. The Shaper is also so constructed that there is a slight squeeze of the air as it approaches the lips, that is, the'cross section areas of the shaper gradually diminish from the blower to the lips thus gaining velocity and providing a more dense body of air;

proper allowance is, of course, made for the space that the dividers take up.

By regulating the positionofthe lips` through the adjustment screws the thickness of the air-curtain may be regulated to atd.

tain the best results.y

In order to keep the air-curtain intact as it passes across the door opening a shield 26 is provided across the top of the doorway. This shield extends laterally adistance sufficient to project over'the thickness ofthe air-curtain.

From the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the'-construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in lthe art to which it ap ertains. i l

at I claim is: l 4 1. In a refrigerator having a door opening and a door associated therewith, means to formair into a sheet or curtaln coextensive with the door opening and directly across the door opening within the refrigerator, `and means wholly located within the refrigerator to gather and force the air within the refrigerator through the forming and directing means, said door opening outward: ly thereby preventing loss of air incidental to opening of the door.

2. In a refrigerator having a door opening and a door, means to form air into anuninterriipted sheet or curtain coextensive 1 with the door opening and directed across the door opening within the refrigerator,`

and means wholly within the refrigerator to j gather and force the cold air exclusively from within the .refrigerator through the forming and directing means across the door-way parallel and adjacent thereto.

3. In a. refrigerator. having a vdoorway and audoor, means to form air into a sheet or curtain and direct it across th'edoorway, means to gather and force the air through the forming and directing means,and means to deflect substantially all the air of the curtain back into the body of therefrigerator after it has passed the doorway.

4. In a refrigerator having a doorway and a door, means to form air into -an uninterrupted curtain or sheet coextensvive` with the door opening and direct it across the door opening, and means wholly within the refrigerator to gather and force airV exclusively through the forming and directing means,

land means controlled by the door for setdrivingthe blower, and means governed by the door for effecting operation of said blower.

6. In refrigerators having adoorway and a door; a shaper located adjacent the door.- way, a blower for takin the refrigerator and forcing it through the shaper and across the door opening as a curtain coextensive with the door opening, a motor driving the blower, said Shaper comprising a tubular body having an entrance in Awhich the blower is located, said-body extending' toward the door opening and being -flattened toward its outlet end to deliver the air as an uninterrupted sheet or curtain across the `door opening coextensive lwith said opening. A

7 In refrigerators havin a doorway and a door; a Shaper located a jacentthedoorair from Within v way within the refrigerator, a blower for taking air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper and across the door opening as acurtain, a motor driving the blower, ASaid sliaper comprising a tubular body having an entrance in. which the blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening'and being flattened toward its outlet end to deliver the air as al sheet or curtain across thel door opening, a divider within said tubular body to distributel the air from the `blower evenly along the outlet end of the Shaper, whereby the air curtain issuing therefrom 'will be of Substantially equal density throughout its area.. 8. In refrigerators havino' a doorway and a door;l a Shaper located adjacent the doorway, a blower for taking air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper and across thedoor opening as a curtain, a motor driving the blower, said sliaper ycomprising a tubular body having an entrance in which thev blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening and being attened toward its outlet end to deliver the air as a thin uninterrupted Sheet or curtain across the door openin and means governed by the door for le ecting' operation of said blower.

9. In refrigerators having a doorway and a door; a'shaper located adjacent the door.\ wa'y, a blower for taking air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper and across the door opening as a curtain, a motor driving the blower, said Shaper comprising a tubular body having an eny'trance in which the blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening and bengflattened toward its outlet end to deliver the air as a sheet or curtain across the door opening, a dividerwithin Said tubular body to distribute the air fromthe blower evenly along the outlet end of theshaper, whereby the air curtain issuing therefrom will be of substantially equal density throughout its area, and meansu governed by the door for effe ting voperation of said blower. l

l0. In refrigerators having a doorway and a door; a Shaper located adjacent the doorway, a blower for taking air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper and across the door opening as a curtain, a motor driving the blower, said Shaper comprising a tubular body havingan entrance in which the blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening and 'being attened toward its outlet end to def liver the air as a sheet or curtain across'the door opening, said Shaper including adjustable lips, and means to adjust said lips to narrow or widen the outlet of the Shaper, thereby to diminish or increase the thickness of the air curtain accordingly as said lips are adjusted.

- 1l.l In refrigerators 'having a doorway and.

a door; a Shaper located adjacent the doorway, a blower for taking air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper and across the door opening as a curtain, a motor drivingthe blower, said- Shaper comprising a tubular body having an entrance in which the blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening and being flattened toward its outlet end to deliverl theaiij as a 'Sheet or curtain across the door opening, a divider within said tubular body to distribute the air from the blower evenly along the outlet end of the sli-aper, whereby the air curtain issuing therefrom will be of Substantially equal density thi'oughout its area, said Shaper including adjustable lips, and means to adjust said lips to narrow or widen the outlet of the sha er, thereby to diminish or increase the thickness of the air curtain accordingly as said lips are adjusted.

12. In refrigerators having a doorway and a door; a Shaper located adjacent the doorway, a blower4 for talrinr air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the Shaper' and across the door opening as aA curtain, a motor driving the. blower; said sha-per comprising a tubular body having an entrance in which the blower is located, said body extending toward the door opening and vheilig liattened toward its outlet end to deliver the air as asheet or curtain across the door opening, and means governed by the door' for effecting operation of said blower, said Shaper including adjustable lips, and means to adjust said lips to narrow or widen the outlet of the Shaper, thereby to diminish or increase the thickness of the air curtain accordingly as said lips are adjusted.

13. In refrigerators having a doorway and a door; a Shaper located adjacent the doorway, a blower for taki air from within the refrigerator and forcing it through the' Shaper and across the door opening as a curtain, a motor vdriving the blower, Said Shaper comprising a tubular body having an` entrance in which the blower is located, said body extending toward the'door opening and being flattened toward its outlet endto de- .liver the air as a-sheet or cur-tain across the door opening, a divider within said tubular vbody to distribute the air from the blower evenly along the outlet end of the Shaper, 1-20 whereby the air curtain issuing therefrom 'iio i will be of. substantially equal densityv throughout its area, and means-governed by the door'. for Aeffecting operationI of said blower, Said Shaper including adjustable lips, and means to adjust said lips to narrow' or widen the outlet of the Shaper, thereby to diminish or increase the thickness of' the air curtain accordingly aspsaid lips are ad-A justed.

14. In refrigerators outwardly opening doors, means for produc# ing a `flowing sheet ofchilled air across "the doorway within the refrigerator upon opening the door, said means including a Shaper, a blower and a driving motor, comprising a body having an approxi ately cylindrical ent-rance and a attened elongated spreader portion fors aping the air column into a thin fiat sheetpor curtain, said blower being located in said\cylindrical \en. trance..

15. In refrigerators having doorways-and doors, means to produce a flowing curtain of chilled air across the doorwayl upon partially opening the door, said means including a shaper, a blower and a driving Inotor, and a door operating controller forthemotor, said door opening outwardly thereby a preventing loss of air incidental to the opening of the door.

16. In refrigerators having door openings and doors, a Shaper for refrigerator air-curtain production comprising a tubular body having an inlet throat and a fanlike flattened outlet portion to receive air and form it into a sheet or curtain, lips at said outlet portion hinged to said body, means to adjust said lips to thicken or thin the air curtain according to the adjustment ofsaid'lips, said shaper including a fiat side lying 'inclose proximity to lthe wall of the refrigerator adjacent the door opening.'v

and doors, a shaper for 'efrigerator-air-curtain production comprising a tubular body having an inlet throat and a fan-like flattened outlet portion' to receive air and form it into a sheet or curtain, lips at said outlet porsaid Shaper tion hinged to said body, means to adj ust sai-d -lps to thicken or thin the air curtain according to the adjustment' of said lips, said means comprising bars carried bythe lips and screws connecting the bars opposite one another.

18. 1n combination with a -refrigerator having a chamber with a door opening and a door, means locatedv adjacent one edge of the door opening and coextensive therewith for forming air into a thin sheet and direct` ing it edgewise across the door opening, parallel and adjacent thereto, and means to gather air within the chamber and force it through the forming 'and directing means, said gathering and forcing means being wholly located within the chamber whereby the air 'constituting the curtain is gathered from and remains within the chamber, said door .opening outwardly thereby preventing loss of air incidental to opening of the door.

19. In refrigerators having a door and door opening outwardly, means to produce a continuous sheet ot' chilled'air across, parenA allel to land coextensive with the door opening, said for reducing the air column'from to a thin fiat sheet' of relatively sity, and a driving the blower great denmeans including a-blower, a shaper' motor to operate said blower to impcl said sheet with considerable lvelocity across the door opening, whereby said sheet will maintain a substantially uni- 17. In refrigerators having door openings to deiiect it inwardly Within the refrigera tor.

ALBERT W. DE NEEN. 

